Plate-clamping device for printing-presses



H. F. BECHMAN. PLATE CLAMPENG DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES- APPLICATION FILED SEPT-24, 1-917- Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- H. F. BECHMAN.

PLATE CLAMPING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. 1917.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. Fla a Ea wmw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. BECHMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DUPLEX PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PLATE-CLAMPING DEVICE FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed September 24, 1917; Serial No. 193,008.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. BECHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun. and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and Useful Improvements in Plate- Clamping Devices for PrintingPresses; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, which form, part of this specification.

This invention relates to rotary printing presses, and its object is to provide a novel means for quickly locking the plates on the cylinders, or quickly releasing them therefrom. v

The invention is particularly designed for use on the so-called tubulanplate presses, wherein the stereotype plates are tubular and are slipped endwise on and off the plate cylinders, but the invention may be applied to other types of presses.

The invention provides novel means whereby the plate clamps may be simultaneously and quickly retracted within the cylinder, out of position for engaging the plate,

so that the plate may be readily slipped endwise over the cylinder onto the clamps, and when the plate is properly positioned on the cylinder the clamps may be simultaneously projected and engaged with the plate. The means whereby the plates are thus locked or released is very simple, and the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing to which I refer in the following detailed explanation of the invention; and in the claims the essentials of the invention, and the minor novel constructions and combinations of parts, for which protection is desired are summarized.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation and part section of a tubular-plate plate cylinder equipped with my novel plateclamping means, showing the plates locked.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the plate unlocked and the plate clamps partially retracted.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the plate clamps entirely retracted.

Fig; 4 is a View on the line 45, Fig. 1, looking inward, and partly broken away, showing the clamps projected and engaged.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the clamps retracted.

In the example shown, the plate cylinder 1 is adapted to carry tubular plates P, which plates are adapted to be slid endwise on and off the cylinder, as explained in my Patent No. 979,919, dated Dec. 27, 1910.

Slidably and rotatably fitted on a reduced portion 1 of the cylinder, or the cylinder shaft, near one end of the cylinder, is an annulus 2, which is provided "with inverted T-slots 2 in which are slidably mounted plate clamps 3, which are provided with lateral flanges 3 to retain them in the slots '2 (see Figs. 4- and 5), and their head portions are adapted to project out of the slots and are provided with beveled inner ends 3" adapted to engage the beveled end of the plate 1 when the clamps are projected, as shown in Fig. l.

The clamps 3 are capable of radial movement in the slots 2, so that these clamps can be entirely retracted within theslots in annulus 2 as in Figs. 3 and 5, or can be projected out of the slots beyond the periphery of the annulus as in Figs. 1 and 4:.

Each clamp 3 is shown as provided with an outwardly projecting pin 3 that engages a related cam slot 4 in a cam ring 4, which is rotatably mounted on the part 1 of the cylinder exterior to the annulus 2. The cam slots 9 are inclined tangentially outward so that by partly rotating this cam-ring the clamps may be simultaneously projected or retracted.

The cam ring is held in place beside the annulus 2 by means of an adjustable nut 5, which is screwed onto a threaded portion l of the part l*, as shown; and the annulus 2 is pressed outwardly toward the nut 5 by means of springs 6 located adjacent clamps 3 and seated and retained in' sockets l in the end of the cylinder, as shown. These springs tend to normally move the annulus 2 and contained clamps 3 outwardly on the cylinder and keep the cam ring 4: in close contact with the nut 5.

When a plate is to be placed upon the cylinder, the nut 5 is turned so as to move it away from the end of the cylinder, and the springs 6 cause the annulus 2 and cam ring 4 to follow the nut as it is unscrewed until the clamps 3 are clear of the edge of the plate P, see Fig.2. Then the cam ring 4 is turned so that the cam slots 4, engaglng the pins 3", draw the clamps radially inward and within the periphery of the annulus and cylinder, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, then the plates P can be slid endwise on or off the cylinder and over the clamping devices.

When the clamps are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the plates can be slld endwise upon the cylinder, or removed therefrom. After the plates are in position (see Fig. 3), the cam ring 4 is turned so as to project the clamps radially outward on annulus 2 (see Fig. 2), then the nut 5 is turned so as to move the cam ring, annulus and clamps inward to the positions shown in Fig. 1, until the clamps engage the plates and hold same securely.

By this means the clamps may be quickly and simultaneously locked or unlocked, and it is not necessary in looking or unlocking the plates to operate the press, or turn press cylinders, as is commonly necessary 1n machines where the clamps are locked independently.

Any number of clamps can be employed;

and all can be simultaneously operated; and

they can be set up against the plates with any desired. pressure by properly turning the nut 5. i

I claim:

1. Plate clamping devices comprising movable plate clam'ps, means for simultaneously radially projecting or retracting said clamps, and means for simultaneously moving said clamps longitudinally to simultaneously engage them with a plate.

2. In plate clamping devices for plate cylinders, radially movable plate" clamps,

means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, means for simultaneously moving said clamps longitudinally of the-cylinder to engage a plate and means to disengage the clamps from the plate.

3. In combination a cylinder, radially movable plate clamps mounted thereon, a

cam member for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, and screw means for simultaneously moving gitudinally of the cylinder.

4. Plate clamping devices, comprising a movable. member mounted on a cylinder, radially movable plate clamps mounted on said member, means for projecting or retracting said clamps, and means for moving said member longitudinally of the cylinder to cause the clamps to engage the plate and means to disengage the clamps from the plate.

5. Plate clamping devices, comprising a slidable member mounted D11 a cylinder,

plate clamps mounted on said member,

means for simultaneously projecting or retracting sald clamps; and means for moving means for op said clamps lonthe action of said said member longitudinally of the cylinder to cause the clamps to engage the plate and ositely moving said member to simultaneous y disengage the clamps from the plate.

6. In combination, a cylinder, a movable member thereon, radially movable plate clamps mounted on said member, means for projecting or retracting said clamps, a cam for moving said member longitudinally of the cylinder to cause the clamps to engage the plate and means to disengage the clamps from the plate.

7. In combination, a cylinder, a slidable member thereon, plate clamps mounted on said member, means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps; means for moving said member longitudinally of the cylinder to cause the clamps to simultaneously engage the plate, and springs for moving the member to disengage the clamps from the plate.

8. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member movable longitudinally thereof provided with radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, and means for moving said member longitudinally of the cylinder.

9. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member movable longitudinally thereof provided with radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said 'slots, a cam member for simultaneously pro jecting or retracting said clamps, means for moving said member outwardly, and a nut threaded on the cylinder shaft for moving the member inwardly.

10. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member movable longitudinally thereof provided with radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, a cam member for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, means for moving said member outwardly on the cylinder, and means on the cylinder for moving the member inwardly.

11. In plate clamping devices the combination of a cylinder having a reduced end, a member slidably mounted on the reduced and of the cylinder, plate clamps mounted on said member, a cam ring beside said member engaging the clainps to move the latter radially, means on the cylinder exterior to the cam ring for moving the member and clamps inwardly, and springs for moving the member and clamps outwardly against means.

12. Infplate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder'having a reduced end, a memberslidably mounted on the reduced end of the cylinder and having radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, a cam ring beside said member engaging the clamps to move the latter radially in the slots, springs for moving the member outwardly, and a clamping nut threaded on the cylinder exterior to the cam ring for moving the member and clamp inwardly.

13. In combination a cylinder, a circumt'erential series of radially movable plate clamps mounted thereon, and a rotatorial cam member for simultaneously projecting or retracting the clamps in a circumferential series, means to cause said clamps when proj ected to engage the plate and means to disengage the clamps from the plate.

14. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member mounted thereon provided with a circumferential series of radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, and means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps.

15. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member mounted thereon provided with a circumferential series of radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted insaid slots, and a cam member for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps.

16. In plate clamping devices the combination of a cylinder having a reducedend, a member mounted on the reduced end of the cylinder, plate clamps mounted on said member, and a cam ring beside said member engaging the clamps to move the latter radially.

17. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder having a reduced end, a member mounted on the reduced end of the cylinder and having radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, and a cam ring beside said member engaging the clamps to move the latter radially in the slots.

18. In combination with a cylinder, plate clamping devices, comprising a member mounted on the cylinder, radially movable plate clamps mounted on said member, means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, a cam engaging said member for simultaneously causing said clamps to engage the plate and springs for moving the member to disengage said clamps from the plate when said clamps are in their projected position.

19. In plate clamping devices, the combination of a cylinder, a member mounted thereon provided with radially disposed slots, plate clamps mounted in said slots, means for simultaneously projecting or retracting said clamps, means for causing the clamps to engage a plate and means to disengage the clamps from a plate when said clamps are in their projected position.

20. In combination a cylinder having a reduced end. a member mounted on the reduced end of the cylinder, plate clamps mounted on said member, a cam ring beside said member engaging the clamps to move the latter radially, means for simultaneously causing theclamps to engage a plate when projected; and means to disengage the clamps from a plate, when said clamps are in projected position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix in Si nature.

H N Y F. BEGHMAN. 

